Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Shi N
PROVIDER: S-EPMC3171199 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Aug
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Shi Ning N Zeng Weizhong W Ye Sheng S Li Yang Y Jiang Youxing Y
Journal of molecular biology 20110430 1
While selective for K⁺, K⁺ channels vary significantly among their rate of ion permeation. Here, we probe the effect of steric hindrance and electrostatics within the ion conduction pathway on K⁺ permeation in the MthK K⁺ channel using structure-based mutagenesis combined with single-channel electrophysiology and X-ray crystallography. We demonstrate that changes in side-chain size and polarity at Ala88, which forms the constriction point of the open MthK pore, have profound effects on single-ch ...[more]